Mold filling device



Dec. 6, 1955 R. A. HAWLEY MOLD FILLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 13, 1953 INVENTOR. H. .755 wley nrrxs Richard Dec. 6, 1955 R. A. HAWLEY MOLD FILLING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 1-3, 1953 B 4 w 7 8 I 6 B A H 4 8 0 1 IN V EN TOR. Richard fiJ-Cawley BY llll'll'illll United States Patent Gfifice 2,726,024 Patented Dec. 6, 1955 This invention relates generally to a device for filling meat-loaf molds.

In particular the invention is directed to, and it is a primary object to-provide, a novel device operative to simultaneously fill the molds of a dual meat-loaf mold unit, such as is shown in my copending application, Serial No. 367,537, filed July 13, 1953.

Another important object of theinvention is to provide a device which is operative to rapidly, effectively, and positively fill the molds of such a dual meat-loaf mold unit; the meat-loaves as formed in the molds of said unit being very uniform in size, density, and weight.

An additional object of the instant invention is to provide a meat-loaf filling device which embodies a dual stufling tube assembly arranged in novel combination with a carriage which removably supports a dual meat-loaf shelf, whose purpose is to support said mold unit for convenient manual assembly. p

It is also an object of the invention to provide a mold filling device which is designed for ease and economy of application of the top closure plate manufacture, as well as convenience of use; the device I being of relatively simple but sturdy construction adapted for long, trouble-free service.-

Still another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable mold filling device, and one which will be exceedingly efiective for the purpose for which it is designed. I 7

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved mold filling device; one dual meat-loaf mold unit being shown in its carriage supported starting position, while another of said mold units is shown as supported on the shelf, with the top closure plate assembly in place.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device as in Fig. 1, including two mold units disposed as described; the view being partly broken away and partly in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional elevation on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional elevation on line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the improved mold filling device comprises a flat-topped table 1 supported'at the corner by legs 2; the latter includingat their lower endsvertically adjustable floor engaging feet 3.

A pair of transversely spaced, longitudinal rods 4 are supported from the table 1 and above the same by end brackets 5. The rods 4, which extend substantially the full length of but terminate short of the ends of the table 1, support a roller carriage, indicated generally at 6; such carriage comprising a horizontal carriage plate 7 having upstanding, full length side flanges 8. Additionally, the

carriage 6 is fitted, on each side, with a pair of longitudinal1y spaced dual or over and under roller units, indicated at 9. Each such roller unit includes, between depending side plates 10, an upper roller 11 and a'lower roller 12; the related rod 4 being engaged between the corresponding upper and lower rollers, as shown.

The upper rollers 11 are journaled on cross bolts 13, while the lower rollers 12 are journaled on common cross shafts 14.

One of the cross shafts 14 is formed with a handle 15 which projects laterally outwardly from one side of the carriage, while the other cross shaft 14 is formed with a similar handle 16 which projects laterally outwardly from the opposite side of the carriage.

With this arrangement operators on one or both sides of the device have a hand grip or handle accessible for control of movement of the carriage 6 on the longitudinal rods 4.

The carriage 6' is adapted to support one of the dual meat-loaf mold units 17; each such mold unit comprising a pair of side by side but spaced parallel molds 18 of elongated form, and which molds 18 are rigidly connected together at one end by a base 19 and at the other end by a top 20. The base 19 and the top 20 are flanged outwardly of the molds 18, as shown, and said molds open through the top 20.

When one of the dual meat-loaf mold units 17 is supported horizontally on the carriage 6, the molds 18 lie side by side between the upstanding flanges 8; the latter serving to locate the mold unit against lateral displacement.

Longitudinal displacement of the carriage supported mold unit 17 is prevented by means of a tongue 21 which projects lengthwise from the rear end of the carriage plate 7; such tongue having a transverse notch 22 deformed therein, and the adjacent or lowermost flange edge 23 of the top 20 seating in said notch.

Thus, while the carriage supported mold unit 17 is readily removable from the carriage, it is normally supported thereon against lateral or longitudinal displace ment. A carriage supported mold unit 17 has a retracted or a starting position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with ingly engages and supports a longitudinal tubular neck 26 coupled at its outer end to a valve 27; such valve being in communication on the opposite side with a conduit 28 which leads from a machine (not shown), such as a sausage stutter, which supplies meat-loaf material under pressure.

Beyond the end of the clamping sleeve opposite the valve 27, the longitudinal tubular neck 26 is horizontally forked, as at 29, and the branches of such fork are connected, in rigid relation, to a pair of transversely spaced,vlongitudinally extending mold stufiing tubes 30; such tubes 30 being disposed so that they project centrally into the molds 18 when a carriage supported mold unit 17 is in its retracted or starting position, as in Figs. 1 and 2.

unit 17 is in said starting or retracted position, the free or discharge ends of said tubes lie close to bottom plates 31 in the molds 18.

At their free or outer end portions the mold stufling tubes 30 each carry a born or head 32, and each such headcomprises an outer end plate 33 and aninner end plate 34; said plates being connected together by a substantially rectangular body 35. Theplates 33 and 34, together with the body 35 of each head 32, are so formed that such head slidably engages in the corresponding mold 18 with a symmetrical relatively close running fit.

Additionally, each head 32 has its outer end flush with the free or discharge end of the related tube 30.

Simultaneous filling of the molds 18 of a mold unit 17 supported on the carriage 6 is accomplished as follows:

Withthe carriage 6 and the supported mold unit 17 in a retracted starting position, the valve 27 is opened, whereupon meat-loaf material pressure-feeds through the neck 26, fork 29, and tubes 30, discharging into the molds 18 starting at the bottom of the supported mold unit 17. t

As the meat-loaf material continues to feed into the molds 18 under pressure, the mold unit 17 and carriage 6 are forced by said pressure in an advancing direction. However, operators standing on one or both sides of the device grasp one or both of the handles 15 and 16, and manually impose a certain resistance to such advancing motion of the mold unit 17 and carriage 6; this to the end that full filling of the molds 18' is assured.

During the mold filling operation the heads 32 prevent any back feeding of the meat-loaf material along the tubes 30; i. e. between the heads 32 and the engaged walls of the molds 18.

When the molds 18- have been filled with meat-loaf material, as above, the valve 27 is. closed and the carriage 6 and the moldunit- 17 thereon then occupy the advanced position indicated by brokenlines in Fig. 1; the heads 32 being at the point of escape from the open ends of: the molds 18, and the foremost roller units 9 abutting adjustable stop, collars 36 on the rods 4.

Theforwardportion of the mold unit- 17 projects ahead ofthe carriage 6, and, when the latter reaches itsadvanced position said forward portion of the mold unit overhangs a horizontal transverse axis fulcrum roller 37 journaled between upstanding brackets 33 on the forward end of the table. The filled carriage supported mold. unit 17 is tilted forwardly and upwardly from the advanced carriage over said fulcrumroller; i. e.,- the mold unit is tilted from its horizontal position to a vertical position.

After being so tilted. over the fulcrum roller 37 between said positions, the filled mold unit is lowered under manual control, and seats upon a horizontal shelf 39 which is securedto, and projects forwardly from, the table 1 at its front end but in a horizontal plane considerably below the top of said table.

Ant upwardly and inwardly inclined back wall 40, which extends from the rear end of the shelf 39 to adjacent the top of the table 1, provides a deflector which assures that the filled mold unit 17 as it is lowered fromtthe roller 37 will readily find proper seating engagement on the shelf 39.-

'After the filled mold unit 17 is seated in upstanding position on the shelf 39, as in Figs. 1 and 4, a top closure plate assembly, indicated generally at 41, is ap plied to said mold unit; said top closure plate assembly, which is shown and described in detail in the aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 367,537, filed July 13, 1953, includes a pair of closure and pressure plates 42 adapted totenter the molds 18 from their open ends and for" engagement with the meat-loaves 43 formed in said molds.

The closure and pressure plates 42 are connected together in rigid, unitary relation by bridging yokes 44,

about, said, fulcrum member from a, horizontal position,

and said plates are maintained under downward pressure by upwardly andoutwardly inclinedspring arms 45 having depending ratchet type swing catches 46 pivoted at their outer ends, and which catches adjustably engage with related projecting flanges 47 of the top 20.

Subsequent to application of the top closure plate as sembly 41 on each upstanding shelf supported, filled mold unit 17, the latter is lifted fromthe shelf and is ready for transport to the apparatus wherein the meat-loaves 43 within the molds 18 are cooked by a hot water or steam bath.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as will substantially fulfill the objects of the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A device for filling a dual meat-loaf mold unit which includes elongated molds open at one end and secured together in adjacent parallel relation as a rigid unit, said device comprising a support, a carriage, means mounting the carriage on the support for substantially horizontal motion between a retracted position and a longitudinally advanced position, means to removably locate the mold unit on the carriage for motion therewith, the molds then being parallel to the direction of said motion but opening contra thereto, and a pair of spaced substantially horizontal stufling tubes rigidly mounted in connection-with the support disposed-to project longitudinally a substantial distance into corresponding molds from the open ends thereof when the carriage and mold unit' thereon are in retracted position to' feed meat-loaf material into the molds; said mold locating means including upstanding si-de flanges on the carriage, and a tongue projecting from oneend' of the carriage, said tongue including a transverse notch therein and the mold unit as supported on the carriage having an element depending into said notch; the opposite end of the carriage being unobstructed to allow of longitudinal movement of the mold unit in a direction away from the notch when the mold element is disengaged from thenotch.

2*. A device for filling adual meat-loaf mold unit" which includes elongated molds open at one end and secured together inradjacent parallel relation as arigid unit, said device comprising a table having a horizontal top, a longi' tudinal rail assembly mounted in connection with and spaced above said table top, a carriage mounted. on, the rail assembly for motion between a retracted position and an advanced position, means to removably locate the mold unit horizontally on the carriage for motion therewith, the molds opening contra to the direction of said motion, a pair of spaced longitudinal stufiing tubes rigidly mounted in connection with the table top disposed to project a substantial distance into corresponding molds from the open ends thereof when the carriage and mold unit thereon are in retracted position, enlarged heads on the free endportions of the tubes having substantially symmetrical easy running engagement in corresponding molds, the tubes being open at their free ends, said tubes at, their opposite ends being adapted to receive meat-loaf material under, pressure,,the carriagesupportedmold unit projecting forwardly beyond saidcarriage, a fulcrum member mounted in connection with the table top beyond the advanced position of the carriage, the forwardly projecting portion of the mold unit overhanging said fulcrum member when the carriage is insaid advanced position whereby the mold, unit, is tiltable oil the carriage and to an upstanding position, and: a shelf projecting from the table below the fulcrum member adapted to receive the mold unit in said upstanding position; said fulcrum member being a horizontally disposed transverse-axis roller.

3. A device for filling a dual meat-loaf mold unit which includes elongated molds open at one end and secured together in adjacent parallel relation as a rigid unit, said device comprising a table having an elongated top, a post upstanding from the table top adjacent one end, a horizontal transverse axis roller mounted in connection with the table top at the other end, horizontal transversely spaced rods mounted in connection with the table top above and extending longitudinally of the same intermediate said post and roller, a carriage mounted on the rods for sliding motion from a retracted position adjacent the post and an advanced position adjacent the roller, means to upwardly removably locate the mold unit horizontally on the carriage for motion therewith and with the molds opening toward the post, a pair of spaced, horizontal stufiing tubes fixed in connection with the post and disposed to project longitudinally into the molds from the open ends thereof when the carriage and mold unit thereon are in retracted. position, enlarged heads on the free end portions of the tubes having substantially symmetrical easy running engagement in corresponding molds, the tubes being open at their free inner ends, and adapted at their opposite outer ends to receive meat-loaf material under pressure, the mold unit projecting forwardly beyond the carriage and overhanging the roller when said carriage is in advanced position whereby the mold unit is manually tiltable over said roller from horizontal to vertical, and a shelf projecting from the table in position to receive and support the mold unit as so tilted to vertical.

4. A device for filling an elongated meat-loaf mold open at one end, said device comprising an elevated supporting structure, a horizontal carriage, means mounting the carriage on the structure for movement lengthwise structure in position to enter the open end of the mold and to be clear of said end when the carriage and mold are fully advanced, a transverse fulcrum member on the structure beyond the point of furthest advance of the carriage at a level a relatively short distance below that of the under side of a carriage-mounted mold and positioned to be overhung by the projecting portion of the mold when the latter is in a fully advanced positionwith the carriage, and a shelf on the structure below and beyond the fulcrum member in position to receive and support the mold on end when the latter is engaged with the fulcrum member and tilted upwardly off the carriage and swung down to a vertical position; the carriage including a horizontal plate shorter than the mold and unobstructed at its advanced end and on which the mold is supported; the mold locating means comprising upstanding moldengaging side flanges on the plate, the mold including an outwardly projecting flange about its outer end, and the plate being formed with a transverse depressed notch to removably receive and locate the mold flange when the mold is resting on the plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 169,476 Rapp Nov. 2, 1875 225,028 Straub Mar. 2, 1880 380,185 Chase Mar. 27, 1888 1,881,106 Vogt et al. Oct. 4, 1932 2,064,213 McJoynt Dec. 15, 1936 2,113,081 Doering Apr. 5, 1938 2,427,202 Dyrek et al Sept. 9, 1947 2,635,799 Hoy Apr. 21, 1953 

